refund

¹ American  

[ri-fuhnd, ree-fuhnd, ree-fuhnd] / rɪˈfʌnd, ˈri fʌnd, ˈri fʌnd /

verb (used with object)

1. to give back or restore (especially money); repay.

2. to make repayment to; reimburse.

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verb (used without object)

1. to make repayment.

noun

refunds plural

1. an act or instance of refunding.

2. an amount refunded.

refund ² American  

[ree-fuhnd] / riˈfʌnd /

verb (used with object)

1. to fund anew.

2. Finance.

   1. to meet (a matured debt structure) by new borrowing, especially through issuance of bonds.

   2. to replace (an old issue) with a new one.

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refund British  

verb

1. to give back (money), as when an article purchased is unsatisfactory

2. to reimburse (a person)

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noun

1. return of money to a purchaser or the amount so returned

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonrefundability
  noun
• refundability
  noun
• refunder
  noun
• refundment
  noun
• nonrefundable
  adjective
• refundable
  adjective
• unrefundable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• refunds
  plural

Etymology

Origin of refund¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb refunden “to export, transmit,” from Old French refonder, refunder “to reimburse” and Latin refundere “to pour back,” equivalent to re- re- + fundere “to pour”; see found ³

Origin of refund²

First recorded in 1855–60; re- + fund

Explanation

To refund is to give money back, especially when someone isn't satisfied with an item they bought or the service they got. If you complain that your restaurant food is undercooked, the manager may refund your money. When you don't actually get what you paid for, you deserve a refund, or a repayment of the money you spent. Most businesses will refund money to unhappy customers, and when you return something — like a pair of pants that doesn't fit — you'll also get a refund. The verb came before the noun, and it originally meant "to pour back," from the Latin root fundere, "to pour."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

refund refunds

Given the company makes almost half of its sales in North America, Philips had been hard hit by the tariffs and the refund helped it to report better than forecast second-quarter profit margins.

From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026

Duthie says if your airline cancels your flight due to wildfires then "they should offer you the chance to rebook, or provide a full refund".

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

But at the time, there was a possibility the high court would leave the tariffs intact, a gamble refund buyers had to price in, according to Husisian.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

It’s useful to think of the $1,000 like an income-tax refund, according to the Treasury Department.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026

If you attend Harvard one year, but dont see the boat-race, there should be a refund.

From "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner

In the case of cancelled flights or accommodation, Bose recommends seeking refunds from your airline, tour operator or accommodation provider in the first instance.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

Economists also contend the economy got a boost this spring from bigger-than-usual tax refunds, whose effect should fade soon.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026

Consumers also benefited from tax refunds in the second quarter, bank executives said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

And no, you won’t get any refunds for that either.

From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026

How many make refunds to the people they’ve harmed?

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri

Related Words

• allowance
• compensation
• discount
• kickback
• payment
• rebate
• reimbursement
• repayment
• restitution